A back injury to Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, left, will likely give Nick Foles, right, an opportunity to start in Sunday night’s game against the Rams at the Coliseum. Wentz is listed as doubtful for the game. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

In last year’s meeting at the Coliseum, the Rams ran only 48 offensive plays but scored 35 points. A blocked punt for a touchdown factored in, but the Rams were efficient in that game, sometimes too efficient, as they gave the ball back to the Eagles, who had frequent, clock-eating drives. The Rams might want to get back to their roots this week with running back Todd Gurley, who averaged 7.4 yards per carry in last year’s game against the Eagles. The Rams, by their own admission, were kind of a mess on offense last week, with subpar run blocking, ineffective play-action attempts and some spotty play by quarterback Jared Goff. A a bounce-back effort seems likely, and look for the Rams to feed Gurley early and often. EDGE: RAMS

EAGLES OFFENSE vs. RAMS DEFENSE

Quarterback Carson Wentz officially is listed as out for the game because a back injury. The Eagles announced that Saturday morning, but they’d already been planning to start Nick Foles, and the Rams no doubt studied the film of last year’s Philadelphia playoff run, when Foles took over for Wentz and led the team on an improbable Super Bowl run. Still, the Eagles aren’t the same with Foles, who is an accurate passer but not particularly prolific. The Rams have played a lot of zone defense in recent weeks, but they might be wise to go back to man coverage against Foles and narrow the windows in which he attempts to throw. The Eagles might also try to keep the game on the ground. EDGE: RAMS

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SPECIAL TEAMS

It’s tough to criticize a kicker who easily made a 50-yard field goal in frigid conditions last week, but the Rams’ Greg Zuerlein hasn’t looked quite the same since his midseason return from a groin injury. Granted, Zuerlein has set a high standard for himself, but he hit an upright on a 40-yard attempt against the Bears, and Zuerlein usually is automatic from inside 50 yards. The same generally can be said for Eagles kicker Jake Elliott, who has missed two of his three attempts from 50 yards or beyond but is 19 for 21 inside 50 yards. The Eagles’ kick-return game has suffered since the loss of Corey Clement. EDGE: EAGLES

COACHING

It’s been a disappointing year in Philadelphia, after the Super Bowl celebration, but that shouldn’t be a negative reflection on Coach Doug Pederson. The Eagles have had significant injury issues this season, and the year started with an awkward transition from Foles to Wentz, after the latter recovered from the major knee injury he suffered last December against the Rams. Rams coach Sean McVay has spent the last week criticizing himself, to all who would listen, about his play-calling against the Bears. Much of that is warranted, but it should be said that McVay quickly seems to learn from his mistakes. EDGE: RAMS

INTANGIBLES

In terms of motivation, this is a tough call. For the Eagles, it’s clear. They’re only one half-game out of the second and final NFC wild-card spot, but it’s a tight race, and one more loss would put a huge dent in their chances. The Eagles also figure to rally around Foles, a respected teammate who gracefully handed his job back to Wentz after the Super Bowl championship. The Rams remain in the race for the No. 1 seed in the NFC, but they will need New Orleans to lose at least one more game. The Rams might need to win two of their final three games to clinch the No. 2 seed, and this is their toughest remaining game. EDGE: EAGLES

Rams nose tackle Ndamukong Suh vs. Eagles center Jason Kelce. Start with the assumption that Foles isn’t going to pass for 400 yards. Independent of that, the Eagles probably should have more confidence in their run game. They have a 6-0 record this season when they total 25 carries in a game, and an 0-7 record when they don’t reach that number. Rookie running back Josh Adams has been placed in a big role because of injuries, and he is averaging 5.0 yards per carry. The Rams’ defensive front has been solid in pass rushing, but the Bears, who don’t run the ball particularly well, had 194 yards on the ground last week.

PREDICTION: RAMS 28, EAGLES 21

This probably isn’t going to be a replay of last year’s 78-point game at the Coliseum, or quite as thrilling as the Rams’ high-powered victory over the Chiefs last month. Both of these teams would be smart to put the ball in the hands of their running backs. Gurley’s talent needs no description, and after his under-usage last week, the Rams likely will be eager to get him going. The Eagles are turning to a backup quarterback and have a productive running back. The Rams haven’t been at their best on offense in the last two weeks, but unless Goff melts down, it’s tough to see them being stifled enough to lose to the Eagles.

Rich Hammond was a high school senior when the Rams left town in 1995, and now he's their beat writer for the Southern California News Group. A native of L.A., Rich broke in at the Daily Breeze as a college freshman and also has covered USC, the Kings, the Lakers and the Dodgers. He still loves sports and telling stories. Don't take the sarcastic tweets too seriously.